


Already Broken

by Vegvisir



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Birmingham City, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fucking, Gang Violence, Gen, Horse Racing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-10-08 15:55:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10390371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vegvisir/pseuds/Vegvisir
Summary: Bit different to what I normally write but who can resist a slice of Shelby pie now and again.Big massive credit to @Jxcob_Frye who has helped/advised/co wrote this. It's very much appreciated lady! If you've not already checked out her stories.. what the bloody hell is wrong with you?*******************************************Set in the heart of Birmingham within the bleak and somber years following the end of World War One, Thomas Shelby and his kin struggle to adapt to civilian life after the unimaginable horrors they faced in France.Social depression and civil depravity on the coal stained streets force them further into a life of crime and illegal bookmaking,  illicit gambling becoming their soul source of what, very quickly, becomes a lucrative income.All is well until there comes along a larger fish in their underworld pond in the shape of Darby Sabini, Tommy isn't happy and ropes the rest of the Peaky Blinders in to uphold their gangs self preservation.Tommy's steely caliber and stoicism rarely gives little away......until a girl catches his eye





	1. Chapter 1

With a sharp inhale of breath Tommy Shelby lit the cigarette he held loosely between his lithesome fingers, the end offering up a crackling smoulder before he exhaled a thick brume of smoke into the gloomy quietude of his dimly lit Birmingham office. 

His eyes fell unfocused to the blotter his shirt sleeved forearm now rested upon. He glanced a moment at the beaten pewter lighter he'd used, it hung loose within his fingertips, sliding and tumbling effortlessly as he tapped it repeatedly upon the desks surface, his thoughts fogging almost as quickly as his office around him soon became.

With a heavy and ragged sigh, he lifted his hand to his forehead sweeping it tiredly across his brow before his palm raked slowly down his face in desperate contemplation. He winced, a quietened gasp slipping from his lips as his fingers glanced a deep knife wound that he now sported on his right cheek.

It served as a curt reminder, a stark intimation of the now dour circumstance the blinders faced, a very real predicament that came in the shape of Darby Sabini.

Twelves months previous, Darby Sabini held within his tight gangland hands, the monopoly of bookmakers and gambling dens within in the capitals sprawl. A vicious and volatile man with a soul as dark as the raven hair that graced his Mediterranean head. Sabini was certainly a man of questionable scruples, his abhorrent reputation preceding him, a reputation that opened doors and bought illicit jail sentences for all those lucky enough not to mysteriously 'disappear'.

Sabini's sheer presence progressively irked Tommy more and more, upon trips to raceways his name cropped up frequently, increasingly of late and Tommy tired of the precedent he seemed to have set within the underworld that crept closer and closer to The Blinders domain within The Midlands.  

"Right then Tommy" Polly boomed rather unceremoniously as she burst purposely in shattering Tommy's stoicism. "We're down again on this weeks takings, that's three weeks in a bloody trot now" 

"Jesus! Don't you ever bloody knock anymore Pol?" Tommy husked as he took a drawl on his cigarette, his icy blue eyes following her form as it thundered purposely over to his desk 

"Not when it comes to family business Tommy, no." She replied curtly before perching her backside upon the desktop next to him. She reached down taking a cigarette from the desks top and lit it rather deliberately 

"you know and I know that something 'aye right Tommy" she started, her voice slightly forced before she exhaled the smoke from her throat "so what are we going to do about it hm?" 

Tommy took a thoughtful moment before sitting slowly back in his office chair, it offered a lowly creak, remonstrating from his slight shift in weight "we don't know anythings awry Pol, we're just having a slow couple of weeks, that's all"  

He spoke the words knowing instantly Polly believed them even less than he did.  Without pause he lifted his cigarette to his expectant lips. She offered the slightest of laughs in quick response, her chest heaving quickly as she suppressed the quiet snicker before it materialised. Without word,  her slender hand roughly grasped hold of Tommy's chiselled jawline and turned his face so she could see the deep wound that graced his cheek. 

"So what do you fucking call that then Tommy?" She hissed as her black kohl lined eyes scooted across his features examining  the deep laceration to his cheek "you cut yourself shaving?.... I wasn't fucking born yesterday Tommy" 

With a riled sigh, Tommy knocked her hand away from his face before complacently lifting his cigarette to his lips once more

"Funny how we've been down on takings since you bunch of fucking idiots kicked off in Sabini's club isn't it Tommy eh!" 

He gave a long and exaggerated exhale, blowing the smoke from his pursed lips before it dissipated quickly into the now hazy air of the office 

"I'll sort it Pol" he husked, his jaw clenched visibly, now riled at the thought of Sabini having the upper hand. 

"And just how exactly do you intend to sort this fucking mess out Tommy hm?" She asked quite curtly "Just stroll up to him eh? You 'aye got a lead and the man's a fucking lunatic, everyone knows that"

"I said I'd sort it Pol, that's all you need to know" 

There was a moments thick and pensive silence between them, both of them silenced by the overwhelming urge to speak. Polly tentatively lifted her cigarette placing it loosely within her rouged lips, Without word her slender fingers dipped within the thin chiffon veil of her dress, their dexterity pulling a small business card from her cleavage. She thew it haphazardly in front of Tommy before taking a drawl upon her cigarette and then removing it from her lips with complacency  
.

"What's this?" He husked as his eyes cast down to the address that was scrawled rather crudely in pencil on its reverse.

"You wanted a lead..... well that there is an address of a office Sabini regularly uses for his 'book keeping' so to speak. You'll not find that address anywhere, trust me.... it 'aye common knowledge" 

His slight fingers reached down and picked the card up, placing his elbows on the desk top his steely blue eyes watched as he slowly turned the business card. "So, if it's not common knowledge, this address, how did you get it Pol?" He enquired before holding it aloft between his two fingers

She suddenly straightened where she perched, her face lifting quickly. Eyes flitting quickly off across the office, she took a sharp but seemingly nervous inhale from her cigarette before she vehemently exhaled. Tommy could immediately tell by her sudden starched demeanour exactly what it took to get the address. Polly was a proud and good woman, a woman of questionable scruples most certainly, but underneath the rough and hard exterior she was simply a woman who's loyalties ran deep and would stop at nothing to protect her family. 

He sighed deeply before he glanced at the card once again "and this 'source' of yours is reliable is it Pol?" 

"Reliable as it comes Tommy, that's all you need to know" she said, her eye line still casting away, avoiding Tommy's no doubt judgemental gaze. 

"Arthur's getting restless, he's baying for blood Tommy" she suddenly said before taking a shaken drawl on her cigarette "you know what he's capable of when he's restless" 

His lips pursed in a moments thought, he knew exactly what his unpredictable and volatile brother was capable of especially when he was riled.  Arthur was a loose cannon pure and simple and wound up looking for revenge, he'd be uncontainable. 

He offered a gentle but despondent  nod as he placed the card inside his suit jacket and slid it into its pocket "Go tell John to ready the car Pol"


	2. You're the Shelby's?

The wheel of the Shelby's Ford pulled to a noisy halt on the grime coated cobbles of Whittal Street, its engine coughing out one last definitive choke before chugging to a final stop. Without word Tommy placed his fingers upon the small door, opening it with ease before stepping down onto the greased pavement below. 

He took a long and final tug on his cigarette before throwing its smouldering nub purposely across the pavement, his ice blue gaze lifting to the characterless red bricked frontage of the Victorian building nestling in front of him, its unassuming presence no different to any of the others that lined the same street. 

"Fucking hell Tommy" Arthur husked with a slight gibe, his booted step scuffing up next to him. Arthur's gaze cast purposely to the end of the street, the blue coated coppers gathered at its end "He's a cocky fucker..... I'll give him that" 

His brothers sudden presence pulled Tommy's attention back, his stoic glance switching to the large police station that sat on the corner of Steel House Lane opposite. "Yup" he huffed sending the last of the cigarette smoke briskly from his lungs "sometimes we can look so hard for something, we miss what goes on right under our noses Arthur" he husked "you should know that by now... come on"

He took a purposeful step toward the inconspicuous door nestled in front of them and with a huff Arthur was quick to follow, catching his brother up. With an assured knock upon the beaten wooden door, the two Shelby's were joined finally by John. 

"Who is it?" Came a strained male voice from behind the closed door 

"We have an appointment with Mr Sabini" Tommy husked, his tone raising slightly yet still holding its authority

"I don't know who you're on about" the voice replied swiftly after a moments obvious thought 

Arthur's stance visibly deflated, his eyes rolling skyward "Fucks sake Tommy, I told you that tip off of Pol's was shite" He husked lowly while his face crumpled in clear distain "let's waste no more fucking time here and get back to the bookies eh?" 

"Look, Open the door can you mate?....I may have been mistaken with the date, and if Mr Sabini isn't here then I just want to leave a calling card with you, business, that's all...... it's just with the door and that, it's making it a little difficult to talk....." 

There was a moments pensive silence as the man gave thought on Tommy's words, cautiously and reluctantly he began to open the door. "That's it" Tommy husked encouragingly as the bolt slid across loudly, a soft smile tugging gently at his lips. 

No soon as the door was wide enough, a strained and aged face peered cautiously around the doors edge, his eyes squinting slightly as they focused on the three staunch figures that stood before him "Mr Sabini isn't due in this office until Tuesday next week" his thin voice announced 

"Gives us more time to look around then don't it" Arthur said with an impatient huff as he stepped quickly forward. He gave a forceful shove and pushed the door quickly open giving no regard to the old man who stumbled unceremoniously to the floor behind it. Without a second thought he stepped in and enthusiastically began to loudly climb the wooden stairs to Sabinis office.

Tommy gave a sigh of weary repetition before he and John stepped over the aged man where he lay, they pursued him up the steps carrying with them an air of tired guardianship for their temperamental sibling.

"Fucking hell Tommy..... will you look at this little lot" Arthur husked lowly as he turned slowly around on the spot, his eyes taking it all in. 

The Shelby's stepped confidently up the last remaining stairs and into the large warehouse room, finally catching up with their brother. The sparseness of the room made the heel of their boots echo a loud scuff as they eventually entered 

"Not exactly what I had in mind" Tommy husked as he began to step slowly in to investigate.

"You ent fucking joking Tommy" John mumbled as he too stepped further into the large vaulted ceilinged room, his eyes casting around in fascination. With bare painted walls and iron worked beams, the only thing that suggested itself to any kind of office were the few desks littered sparsely with papers that sat intermittently down the furthest length of the room. 

"Please please" came the old man's shaken voice as he hurried into the room "you really are going to have to leave Sirs..... I must insist!" 

Arthur curled a lip as the man entered and took a large stride aggressively toward him, the old man recoiled timidly in anticipation of any further foul play

"Arthur" warned Tommy sternly, making him halt quite suddenly in his tracks  "leave the old man alone"

John stepped tentatively over to an old threadbare settee that nestled against the nearest wall to him. It contained upon it, a comatose couple who sat slumped together within each other's arms, around them messily sat burnt out candles and the remnants of a nights self abuse with an opium pipe. 

"ERE!" He yelled at them delivering a firm kick to their legs.  The sudden jolt brought only a lowly and uncomfortable groan from the gaunt male's lips. He shuffled only momentarily to make himself comfortable before sliding away into his numbed haze once again. 

"Mr Sabini know one of his properties is being used as a part time opium den does he?" Tommy asked turning to the old man, his eyebrows lifted knowingly 

The old mans stood stoically still, like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car, his face fearful and uneasy of what they'd found.

"I....it's only the times I know he's out of town.... " he stammered nervously giving a cautionary glance to Arthur who's incensed glare remained firmly fixed on him. "I urge you not to speak of this to him sir"

Tommy nodded gently "get a bit extra for it do you?" 

"A couple of quid that's all.... they'll be gone by evening and it's only because Mr Sabini hardly ever comes here at the moment. It's a premises he took over recently sir, from a liquidated haulage company...... it's only while it's empty" His gaze flicked nervously to Arthur once more. "please, this really isn't the norm. It's just a little extra earner for me....  Mr Sabini runs a very valid and licit company." 

Tommy nodded slowly and without word stepped over to a nearby vacant desk, he paused, his lithesome fingers lifting a crumpled discarded letter from its surface. "This is from Worcester racecourse, dated this week" he husked as his eyes quickly scanned the letter "now, Why would Sabini be having correspondence from them sent here for, hm?" His Icey blue eyes lifted from the typed words and sought the old man once more.

"I've no idea what he gets up to" he stammered look, Im just paid to look after the place" 

"Not very fucking well!!!" Arthur scoffed loudly before he and John cackled loudly in unison. As their laughter slowed, their amusement quietly dissolving, Tommy's attention was caught by the quietest of whimpers that came from the furthest end of the relinquished room. A gentle shuffle from behind a partially glazed door, a noise that confirmed they were not the only ones present. 

"You said you'd be leaving a business card before you left, Mr... er, ummmm....?" 

Tommy turned haltingly on the spot, the old mans seeming reluctance to reveal what the room contained, spiking his interest further. "You're not trying to get rid of us now are you?" Tommy questioned with a churlish turn

"Course he ain't Tommy" Arthur boomed loudly "we go when we want to, ain't that right?" His hand lifted and gave the old man a firm and commanding slap on the back making him flinch visibly.

"So what's behind the door?" 

"I don't really know.... it's an office Mr Sabini uses from now and then. Ive overheard him talking about moving some leg of his business here....I don't honestly know " the man seemed to panic slightly "it's kept locked" 

Tommy's face was stoic, expressionless as he turned and strode slowly yet purposely toward the closed door. "So you have a key then?" He husked as he scuffed up to the door placing his hand upon the brass knob and giving it a testing push

"Key?..... um...... no" he stammered nervously "honestly.... that's the truth!" 

"Arthur!" Tommy flatly ordered to his brothers unexpected delight. With a growled whoop of excitement, Arthur strode quickly toward his brother, the wide grin across his face more than evident. "Yaaaas!" He smiled as he scuffed nosily across the room ready to assist.

"There's absolutely nothing in there of any interest sir" the old man began to hurriedly explain, his words were quick and pressured "just leave your business card and Ill see that Mr Sabini knows of your calling"

Ignoring the bombardment of now babbled speech,  Tommy's eyes held Arthur's fervent gaze as he tilted his head at the door. His brothers unspoken gesture was all the instruction Arthur needed. 

"Fuckin yes!" He growled happily before taking a step back and lifting his sturdy leather boot to the handle. With a firm and commanding kick, the door splintered loudly from its lock and burst quickly open banging loudly against the inside wall seconds later. 

John gave a smug and knowing smile at the old man as he watched on in horror. Although his aged form would never have been any match for them, the knowledge that ultimately it would get back to Sabini tugged excitedly at the pit of his stomach. He pulled the match from the corner of his soft lips and with a cocky snicker to himself, arrogantly strode off to catch up with his brothers. 

Inside, the room in all its dark disarray, seemed to be a well stocked and organised working office. A desk sat central to its back, while box files and papers sat stacked in piles ready to be worked from close by. Tommy stepped into the dimly lit office with a caution, the study heel of his boot blindly finding glass upon the floor as it loudly crunched below his steady step. It was evident by the mess littered across the floor that there had been quite a significant struggle there at some point.

"What we got then Tommy?" John cawed loudly as he strode quickly in. He suddenly halted giving quiet exclamation no soon as he passed the threshold "fuuuckin hell" he murmured as his eyes skirted quickly around the shelves at the files "what's all this then?" 

Tommy took a deepened and thoughtful breath in, his eyes momentarily glancing through the darkness at the countless files all labelled clearly with names of racehorse winners and recent runners. 

"And there's another fuckin junkie!" Arthur boomed loudly before violently kicking the legs of a girl sat slumped upon the littered floor. "Fucking state! LOOK AT YOU!" he shouted, stooping in front of the at the lifeless outline "GET A PROPER FOOKING JOB!" 

"Alright Arthur" Tommy husked as he stepped slowly over to him "you and John go through some of these files will you? See what you can find out eh" 

With one last final growl and grimace of disgust, Arthur straightened and set to searching the chaotic disorganisation that surrounded them. 

Tommy's gaze skipped attentively over the forlorn figure that lay passed out at his feet, as he did, he dipped his fingers inside his woollen overcoat slowly taking out his cigarettes. 

"I don't think you've been entirely honest with us have you?" He blindly husked to the old man who now stood behind him at the offices threshold 

"I.... I don't know much" he stammered nervously as he watched Arthur and John fiercely throw files and papers around "Mr Sabini told me to caretake the place while he was out of town til next week. That's it!" 

Tommy lit the cigarette with a match before taking a long drawl and discarding the spent matchstick on the floor. He gave the old mans words some silent thought as the smoke tumbled hypnotically from his parted lips. 

"Please don't do that!" The old man urged with a distress as he watched file after file be thrown and tossed angrily around "please! I've told you all I know Sir..... take what you need and just leave" 

"Oh we intend to do that alright" Tommy growled seriously as he turned and stepped toward the old man "and when your bastard of a boss returns to his warehouse you'll tell him that the Shelby's came calling.... do you understand?" Tommy slowly exhaled sending spent cigarette smoke into the old mans fearful face 

"Shelby?" His face visibly dropped as he recalled the notorious name "You're the Shelby's?" 

"Tommy.... there ain't much here.... just shit" John called as both he and Arthur halted their search. Tommy held the gaze of the old man from under the darkness of his brow. 

"We take the girl" he finally husked 

"WHAT?" Cawed Arthur loudly "you want to take the junkie? What the fuck Tommy?" 

"Load the girl into the car Arthur.... she's coming with us" 

Tommy took a deep drawl on his cigarette as he continued to face the old man, his grey aging eyes watched on in disbelief as both brothers grabbed hold of the girls slender frame.

"Please Mr Shelby.....Mr Sabini will be furious about this" the old man pleaded desperately 

Arthur and John awkwardly and noisily carried the girls figure passed Tommy and the old man and from the office, cursing each other noisily as they did. 

Tommy expelled the smoke from his lips into the dimly lit ether before tossing the smouldering cigarette into a pile of discarded papers across the office floor. 

"He knows where to find us" he husked as the papers suddenly ignited behind him. 

The old man pushed urgently passed Tommy and scuttled swiftly across the office in order to stamp out the flames. His foot stamped and stomped amidst the pluming smoke, extinguishing the flames before they managed to take a serious hold. After a moment he glanced up to find Tommy had already made his exit.


End file.
